Hard Candy

Film

Title:

Hard Candy

Director:

David Slade

Released:

01 Jan 2006

Classification:

R18+

Language:

English

Contributors:

Actor

Patrick Wilson / Ellen Page / Sandra Oh / Jennifer Holmes

Director

David Slade

This is a very tough, two-handed version of the rape and revenge genre updated to deal with the subject of paedophiles who stalk their young prey on the internet. A flirtatious 14-year-old girl meets a 30-plus photographer via an internet chat room. They meet for coffee and she agrees to go home with him. Then the tables are turned in a very confronting way. Ellen Page is magnificent as the 14-year-old Hayley, and director David Slade keeps the suspense escalating while managing with discreet camera work to navigate the violence so well that I was able, most of the way, to suspend disbelief. A cautionary tale—if you're up for it.